Suterwatch reaches a critical point

For the first time in two days Ryan Suter didn’t just sit around his farm in Madison, Wisconsin and mull his options. He had visitors. The Detroit Red Wings came to see him and the Minnesota Wild according to reports. The Predators weren’t expected to make another trip to Madison, though things could change.

Before today, the Predators were the only team that had face-time with Suter. Now he has some level of a personal connection with other teams.

By all accounts, the Predators haven’t been told they’re out of it. And the fact that Matt Carle remains unsigned is a positive for Nashville if Suter bolts. He remains a very solid Plan B.

But you have to wonder about his level of interest in Minnesota and Detroit. Minnesota is owned by former Predators owner Craig Leipold. Say what you want about how he left Nashville, but the guy has money — even if the Wild doesn’t have a winning tradition. The Red Wings can offer a history of success and money. Their core is aging, but that may not have an effect on Suter’s decision.

There’s also the Zach Parise factor. According to a report from Josh Rimer, the Devils star forward has said he and Suter are talking and indicated they would like to play together.

Maybe in the end, he sees that Nashville’s sizable offer is enough to help him return to a place he knows. When an agent goes on record and says it’s a big deal, it probably is competitive with what the Wings and the Wild are offering.

No matter what, my uneducated guess says we’ll have an answer in the next day. The information has been gathered, now it’s decision time.